A new report from the Chilean Public Prosecutor’s Office reveals a disturbing 13% increase in homicides in the Metropolitan Region during 2024 compared to the previous year, underscoring the growing crisis of violence fueled by organized crime and social inequalities.

The report, which documents a rise from 1,354 homicide cases in 2023 to 1,533 in 2024, has triggered alarm among authorities and citizens alike, who are demanding effective measures to address the escalating violence.The report, compiled by the Organized Crime and Homicide Team, shows that 54% of the incidents were completed homicides, while 29% were frustrated attempts, and the remainder were attempted homicides.

The geographic distribution of these crimes reveals a stark pattern: 44% of the homicides occurred in the northern sector of Santiago, followed by 32% in the south, 19% in the west, and a mere 5% in the wealthier eastern sector, indicating that violence is concentrated in areas already affected by economic disparities and marginalization.

The report also highlights the diversity of victims, with 292 fatalities reported. Of these, 67% were Chilean nationals, while the remaining victims were mostly migrants: 11% Venezuelan, 10% Colombian, 6% Peruvian, and the rest from the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Haiti.

This overrepresentation of migrants as victims of violence points towards the systemic vulnerabilities these communities face, often as a direct result of discriminatory policies.

The report indicates that the perpetrators of these homicides are almost equally divided between Chilean nationals (55%) and foreigners (45%), with Venezuelans and Colombians predominating among the latter. Notably, many of these foreign perpetrators have been linked to the transnational criminal organization known as the “Tren de Aragua,” whose presence and influence signal the growing transnationalization of organized crime and the failures of the state to regulate movement or provide social supports to communities being impacted by such criminal organizations.

The rise in violence is not an isolated phenomenon. It reflects deeper systemic issues, including socioeconomic disparities, the lack of adequate social programs, and a criminal justice system that is failing to deter violence. It is also linked to broader regional patterns of displacement and migration, where vulnerable people seeking refuge find themselves entangled in cycles of exploitation and violence.

The geographic concentration of violence in the northern and southern sectors of Santiago makes it clear that the state has systematically failed these communities and left them vulnerable to violence.

The authorities’ response has been to propose a more “integral perspective” that focuses on both preventing crime and promoting social inclusion. However, meaningful change requires a far more radical approach: addressing the deep-seated inequalities that drive violence, creating pathways to economic opportunity, strengthening public services, and implementing policies that ensure the security and dignity of all, regardless of immigration status.

This requires a radical re-imagining of social policy and a genuine commitment to address the root causes of violence through deep-rooted structural changes, that put human rights and dignity before short-term political gains.

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